Space station board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A space station game includes a three-sided length of solid material having a triangular cross section which is formed so that its ends are joined to provide an endless loop configuration similar to a Mobius ring. The length of solid material is twisted prior to joining so that one end of a first side or plane joins one end of a second side or plane, the other end of the second side joins one end of a third side or plane and the other end of the third side joins the other end of the first side. The thusly formed loop provides a continuous, endless path having holes formed therein for receiving player pieces which are moved by players of the game in response to chance instructions such as the roll of dice. The player piece represent space vehicles which &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;orbit&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; the endless loop and are capable of &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;destroying&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; an opponent&#39;&#39;s space vehicle. Further, the pieces can receive an attachment to form a two-stage vehicle capable of moving laterally from plane to plane.

United States Patent Gilbert SPACE STATION BOARD GAME APPARATUS [76]Inventor: Bertram C. Gilbert, 4535 Butler St.,

Fort Meade, Md. 20755 [22] Filed: Feb. 14, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 332,270

' [52] U.S. Cl. 273/134 GM, 273/134 AE, 273/134 AA, 273/134 D, 273/136C, 273/137 AE, 273/137 AB, 273/137 AD [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 [58] Fieldof Search 273/134, 136, 137

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,614,104 10/1971 Gregory273/134 AA 3,359,003 12/1967 Kass 273/131 AD 2,810,578 10/1957 Pacitti273/134 GM 1,450,958 4/1923 .lohannesen 273/134 GM 2,757,933 8/1956Gilmour 273/134 AC 3,373,995 3/1968 Fors 273/134 AA PrimaryExaminer-Delbert 13. Lowe Attorney, Agent, or FirmWalter G. Finch [57]ABSTRACT A space station game includes a three-sided length of solidmaterial having a triangular cross section which is formed so that itsends are joined to provide an endless loop configuration similar to aMobius ring. The length of solid material is twisted prior to joining sothat one end of a first side or plane joins one end of a second side orplane, the other end of the second side joins one end of a third side orplane and the other end of the third side joins the other end of thefirst side. The thusly formed loop provides a continuous, endless pathhaving holes formed therein for receiving player pieces which are movedby players of the game in response to chance instructions such as theroll of dice. The player piece represent space vehicles which orbit theendless loop and are capable of destroying" an opponents space vehicle.Further, the pieces can receive an attachment to form a two-stagevehicle capable of moving laterally from plane to plane.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SPACE STATION BOARD GAME APPARATUS Thisinvention relates to a game apparatus for a space station game, and moreparticularly pertains to an endless loop, multiplane, Mb'bius ring type,playing surface for receiving player pieces which are movable over thesurface in response to a chance device.

Games involving movement of player pieces usually include some form ofsurface over which the pieces are moved. In some instances, the surfacesare smooth and in others the surfaces include apertures which receivethe pieces. A considerable number of these surfaces are uniplanar andprovide little excitement and add little to the enjoyment of the game.

A game using a uniquely structured playing surface would provide achallenge to the players as well as add interest and excitement to thegame beyond the movement of the player pieces.

Additionally, the selective manner of movement of the player pieces onthe playing surface, for example to and fro as well as laterally, wouldalso provide excitement and challenge for the players. Furtherexcitement and challenge are provided when the playing pieces arepermitted to assume a different and more versatile status during thegame.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a gameapparatus which is uniquely structured for exciting and challengingplayer piece movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a uniquely arranged gamesurface for the movement of player pieces thereover.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an endless loop,game apparatus having multiplanar surfaces which permits the movement ofplayer pieces in forward, backward and lateral directions.

A further object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus havingplayer pieces which are capable of assuming multi-directionalcapabilities, and identifiable as such, over a multi-planar, endlessloop playing surface.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will becomemore readily apparent and understood from the following detailedspecification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying certainprinciples of the invention and showing a M'dbius ring type loop mountedon a pin which is supported by a base; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 showingthat the loop of FIG. 1 is triangular in cross section and is formedwith holes in three surfaces and further showing a player piece andattaching structure.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a game apparatus includes a base 12 and apin 14 mounted in and extending upwardly from the base. A Mb'bius ringtype, endless loop 16 is formed from a length of material having atriangular cross section. Thus the loop 16 is multiplanar and has threesides 18, 20 and 22. The length of material is twisted in the fashion ofa M'dbius ring and the two ends of the length are joined to form theendless loop 16. Additionally, the twist formed in the length prior toend joining links the ends of the different sides 18, 20 and 22 to forma continuous path of the three sides in serial alignment.

The sides 18, 20 and 22 are formed with a series of spaced, inwardlytapering holes 24, 26 and 28, respectively. As illustrated, each of theholes 24 are formed in a crosssectional plane with corresponding holes26 and 28. This arrangement permits holes forward, rearward andlaterally of each hole formed in the three sides 18, 20 and 22. In theuse of the game apparatus 10, selected holes 26 and 24 are marked insome fashion, such as with different colored markings 30 and 32,respectively, to indicate a starting point for players of a game usingthe apparatus. A third colored marking (not shown), of a color differentfrom the colored markings 30 and 32, surrounds a selected one of theholes 28 for the same purpose.

The upper end of the pin 14 is located within a mounting hole 34 formedin the endless loop 16 and the lower end is located within a mountinghole 36 formed in the base 12. In this manner, the loop 16 is supportedin a vertical position spatially above the base 12. This permits all ofthe holes 24, 26 and 28 to be visible for players of a game using thegame apparatus 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, a two-stage player piece assembly 38 includes aplayer piece 40. The player piece 40 is formed with a tapered end 42 anda direction pointer 44 extending laterally from an intermediate portionof the player piece. The taper of the end 42 conforms to the taper ofthe holes 24, 26 and 28 which receive and support the player piece 40during use of the game apparatus 10.

A clip-on player piece 46 is included in the assembly 38 and is formedwith handles 48. The handles 48 are used to spread a web spring of theclip-on player piece 46 so that the clip-on player piece can beassembled with a shank end of the player piece 40. The handles 48 arethen positioned, as shown in FIG. 2, to give the assembly 38 a wingedappearance. In one use of the game apparatus 10, the endless orcontinuous loop 16 provides an orbiting path for the player piece 40 ina space station game. The player piece 40 assumes the status of a spacevehicle. Three player pieces 40 are colored to match the colors of themarkings, such as markings 30 and 32, surrounding the selected ones ofthe holes 24, 26 and 28 to indicate the starting point for thecorresponding colored, space vehicle, player pieces. These color-markedholes 24, 26 and 28 provide a launch site" and a home base" for thecorresponding colored space vehicle. When a player piece 40 is restingin its color marked hole 24, 26 or 28, it is in a safe area and cannotbe destroyed by an opponent player piece if the opponent player pieceshould land on the first player piece. In fact, the opponent playerpiece 40 would be destroyed if it should land on a second player piecewhile the second player piece is resting in its color-matched hole 24,26 and 28.

As noted. the space vehicle" is the piece 40 and is referred to as asingle stage space vehicle. Each vehicle is launched from itscolor-marked launching site (holes 24, 26 or 28) by a specified roll ofdice or some other chance device such as turnover cards, chance wheel,spinner, top or the like. Once the vehicle is launched, it moves overthe playing surface of the loop 16 in one direction in accordance withsubsequent dice rolls. If the path of a moving vehicle is blocked byanother vehicle, the moving vehicle must reverse its direction becausethey may not jump over each other. Additionally, once the direction ofthe vehicle is reversed, it must continue in that direction onsubsequent moves until it is blocked again at which time its directionis reversed again. The direction pointer 44 provides a means forindicating the current direction of movement of the associated spacevehicle. A single stage vehicle cannot move laterally over the edge ofthe plane or side to another plane or side. When a single stage vehicleis blocked from forward or rearward movement by other space vehicles, itis considered destroyed and must be removed from the playing surface.The destroyed vehicle may be used as a new vehicle and await thespecified dice roll for another launching from the launch site.

When a single stage vehicle (player piece 40) has moved completelyaroundthe loop 16, or, having been forced to reverse its originaldirection, passes or lands on its launching site, it gains the secondstage which is represented by the player piece 46. The two-stage vehiclehas additional capabilities in that it can move laterally over one edge.However, it must always move 'to the right one space and then forward.When the two stage, or winged, vehicle is positioned adjacent to one ortwo vehicles of the same color, that is, pieces 40 controlled by asingle player, it can link with that vehicle, or those vehicles. Thecombined group of vehicles can now move with the two stage vehicleregardless of the former direction of those vehicles taken on by the twostage vehicle. When it is to the advantage of the taken on vehicles,they may separate but they may only rejoin with the two stage vehicle onthe basis of dice throws just as before.

Ultimately, a winner of the game is declared when one player has allofhis vehicles in the two stage form and has them linked as a spacestation surrounding any cross-sectional plane of the M'o'bius ring type,loop 16. For example, each of three player pieces 40, which form the twostage vehicles, will be in an associated one of the sides 18,20 or 22 ina set of holes 24, 26 or 28, respectively, within a givencross-sectional plan of the loop 16.

In playing the space station game, a first player rolls three dice untilhe gets a double or any two of the dice which total at least eight. Thissum is referred to as the players entry speed. As an example, if thedouble is two fives, the entry speed will be and will remain 10 for therest of the game. Therefore, each time this player wishes to launch avehicle from the players launch site, he must roll the dice equaling theentry speed.

When the first player has rolled the required double, he puts hisvehicle into play by starting at the corresponding colored hole 24, 26or 28 and moves in either direction on the same side 18, or 22,respectively, the number of spaces corresponding to the total of thethree dice. I

lf a player has only one vehicle on the loop 16, he moves that onevehicle over spaces corresponding to the total of the three dice. If theplayer has two vehicles on the loop 16, he moves one vehicle a number ofspaces corresponding to the total of two of the dice, and he moves theother vehicle a number of spaces corresponding to the count on theremaining die. If the player has three pieces on the loop 16, eachvehicle is moved in accordance with the count of an associated one ofthe dice.

When the vehicles are linked by one or more two stage vehicles, theaggregate assembly 38 moves a distance which corresponds only to thecount on the highest die.

The players, which number two or three in this embodiment of theinvention, roll the dice in successive order and always roll three dice.Each vehicle on the loop 16 should be moved after each roll. In order toavoid confusion, the vehicle moved in response to the highest number onthe dice should be moved first, then the second highest and finally thelowest. The player can select the order of the vehicles to be movedafter each roll of the dice.

Entry onto the loop 16 by the second and third vehicles of each playeris made whenever the entry speed double count is rolled on the dice. Forexample, if the entry speed is 10, when the player rolls a double fiveon two of the three rolled dice, he will enter another vehi-' cle at thecolor marked hole 24, 26 or 28. If an opponents vehicle occupies thelaunching site of the entering vehicle, the opponents vehicle isdestroyed and must be removed from the loop 16. The destroyed vehiclemay enter the loop 16 again only when the entry speed double count isrolled on the dice.

Whenever a vehicle lands on the space occupied by an opponents, or hisown, vehicle, the vehicle priorly occupying the space is destroyed andmust gain entry speed by double count of the dice roll before re-entryis permitted.

In any instance where a vehicle is destroyed, it must be 're-entered asa single stage vehicle even though it may have been a two stage vehiclewhen it was destroyed. The re-entered, single stage vehicle must nowprogress through the same procedure, by circling the loop 16 or passingover the entry spot, before the second stage capability can again beassumed.

Whenevera player rolls a triple successive sequence of numbers, such asthree, four and five, the player may move any one of his vehicles, whichis already on the loop 16, any number of spaces along the side 18, 20 or22 until blocked by another vehicle.

Whenever a player rolls a triple of the same number, such as three twos,he may add a second stage to any one of his single stage vehicles whichis already on the loop 16. Thus the attainment of second stagecapabilities is possible by a single stage vehicle when the vehiclemoves from its launching site, over the continuous, endless loop 16 andreturns to or passes over its launching site, or is forced to reverseits forward direction and ultimately passes over or returns to itslaunching site, or the player rolls a triple of the same number on eachof the dice.

The object of the game is for a player to obtain second stage status forall three of his vehicles and to then link the three, two stage vehiclesin a common crosssectional plane of the loop 16.

The space station game can be expanded to a lengthier playing surfaceand time and also could include more players by changing the crosssectional configuration of the loop 16 to square, oblong, pentagonal andso on.

While the use of the game apparatus 10 has been described with respectto the space station game,it could be used for a variety of chess,checker or cribbage type of games. The structure of the game apparatus10 provides a three dimensioned aspect requiring complicatedcalculations and planning. Other games could be devised using theapparatus 10 wherein the player pieces could be given varying abilitiesto move along the planes or around the edges.

Tick marks can be provided in or adjacent to selected apertures or holes26 or 24, as required, as an aid to counting. In addition to the above,other means can be utilized for attaching playing pieces to the gameapparatus, such as magnetic type player pieces or clip on type playerpieces.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. Game apparatus, comprising:

a three-dimensional endless continuous surface formed into a loop from alength of multisided material which is twisted longitudinally and joinedat its ends so that ends of adjacent sides are linked to form saidcontinuous surface;

player pieces for movement over said continuous surface; and

means formed in said surface for locating said player pieces at selectedpositions along said surface.

2. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1, and additionally means forsupporting said three-dimensional surface in a plane which exposes allportions of said surface so that all portions are usable.

3. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said locating means areholes formed in equal displacement along said continuous surface forreceiving said player pieces.

4. Game apparatus as recited in claim 3, and additionally means formedabout at least a pair of said holes to identify a starting location forsaid player pieces.

5. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said player pieces areeach formed with a directional pointer to indicate the direction ofmovement of said player pieces.

6. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said length ofmultisided material is of a triangular cross section twisted to form aloop having three sides.

7. Game apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein the means for locatingsaid player pieces are disposed in all three sides of said multisidedmaterial.

8. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further comprising means forsignifying assumption of additional capabilities by the player pieces,said lastmentioned means being attachable to said player pieces.

9. Game apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the last-mentioned meanscomprise a clip-0n piece attachable to said player pieces.

10. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said locating means areformed spatially in a longitudinal path along each side of saidcontinuous surface with each locating means of any one side beingadjacent to one locating means in adjacent sides.

1. Game apparatus, comprising: a three-dimensional endless continuoussurface formed into a loop from a length of multiSided material which istwisted longitudinally and joined at its ends so that ends of adjacentsides are linked to form said continuous surface; player pieces formovement over said continuous surface; and means formed in said surfacefor locating said player pieces at selected positions along saidsurface.
 2. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1, and additionally meansfor supporting said three-dimensional surface in a plane which exposesall portions of said surface so that all portions are usable.
 3. Gameapparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said locating means are holesformed in equal displacement along said continuous surface for receivingsaid player pieces.
 4. Game apparatus as recited in claim 3, andadditionally means formed about at least a pair of said holes toidentify a starting location for said player pieces.
 5. Game apparatusas recited in claim 1 wherein said player pieces are each formed with adirectional pointer to indicate the direction of movement of said playerpieces.
 6. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said length ofmultisided material is of a triangular cross section twisted to form aloop having three sides.
 7. Game apparatus as recited in claim 6 whereinthe means for locating said player pieces are disposed in all threesides of said multisided material.
 8. Game apparatus as recited in claim1 and further comprising means for signifying assumption of additionalcapabilities by the player pieces, said last-mentioned means beingattachable to said player pieces.
 9. Game apparatus as recited in claim8 wherein the last-mentioned means comprise a clip-on piece attachableto said player pieces.
 10. Game apparatus as recited in claim 1 whereinsaid locating means are formed spatially in a longitudinal path alongeach side of said continuous surface with each locating means of any oneside being adjacent to one locating means in adjacent sides.